2022 State of the Science Workshop

Please find information on the workshop structure, goals, and themes below, followed by workshop policies, including Covid-19 protocols. 

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​Workshop Overview

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Workshop Structure

The third State of the Science Workshop will offer opportunities across a multi-day program to discuss scientific research involving wildlife and offshore wind energy development. The preliminary agenda can be found here. We are pleased to announce that several other meetings will also be held on July 26th in conjunction with the State of the Science Workshop; click here for more information.

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We are not livestreaming the workshop, but we do have several options for virtual participation. Virtual registrants will be able to access video recordings of in-person workshop sessions following the live events (we will do our best to post videos each evening of the Workshop). There is also a fully virtual workshop session on September 21st, 2022, which all virtual and in-person registrants will be able to attend.

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Workshop Goals

• Engaging and informing interested stakeholders about the state of knowledge regarding wildlife and offshore wind energy development, including ongoing efforts to understand, minimize, and mitigate environmental impacts

• Promoting regional coordination by sharing updates on research studies, guidelines development, and other efforts in the eastern U.S. and elsewhere

• Promoting collaboration through expert information exchange and discussion

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2022 Workshop Themes

The overarching theme of the 2022 Workshop is “Building on Existing Knowledge and Emerging Collaborations”. Six subthemes have been selected to showcase a breadth of research relating to offshore wind energy and wildlife in the eastern United States and worldwide:

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• Establishing a baseline: understanding wildlife populations and distributions in the U.S.

• Risk assessments: approaches and challenges

• Offshore wind development effects and species/ecosystem responses

• Minimization and mitigation approaches

• Cumulative impacts of offshore wind energy development

• Collaborative processes to improve development and conservation outcomes

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​Topics will include the effects of both fixed-foundation and floating offshore wind energy development on wildlife (including all vertebrates and invertebrates, including marine mammals, sea turtles, fishes, birds, bats, and benthos), oceanography, and the environment.

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Workshop Policies

 

Covid-19 protocols

We are tracking the new BA.5 subvariant of omicron, as you likely are as well, and are taking a number of steps to keep everyone safe at the Workshop:

• Proof of vaccination. We are asking that everyone provide proof of vaccination to workshop staff during the check-in process. This could include:

  • Bringing your vaccine card or other proof of vaccination for review by workshop staff during the check-in process. This is an option regardless of whether you have already created an ID.me account.

  • If your vaccination has already been confirmed via ID.me, you can use your health pass for check-in (you have to sign into your ID.me account, go to “manage IDs”, and click on the Covid-19 Vaccine ID to see the health pass with QR code).

• Outdoor access. Outdoor space will be available for most meals, breaks, and receptions (opening reception, poster reception). These events will either be fully outdoors, or more commonly will be in a combination indoor/outdoor space so that folks can choose to go outside if they would like.

• Masking. Masking will be strongly encouraged throughout the Workshop.

• Spacing. Attendees will be able to communicate their comfort level with different degrees of in-person interactions using red-yellow-green stickers available at the registration desk.

We also encourage all attendees to bring at-home tests for use at the event, and do everything we can to keep each other safe.

 

In addition, the Sleepy Hollow Hotel and Conference Center follows Westchester County's Covid-19 guidance, including the following:

• Staff are encouraged to wear face masks or coverings unless it is medically unsafe to do so

• Staff are required to wash hands frequently, and clean and sanitize all surfaces regularly in accordance with CDC guidelines

• The venue performs wellness checks and requires sick employees to stay home, including when awaiting test results

• The venue makes hand sanitizer and/or handwashing facilities available

 

Concerns and questions about any of these policies should be directed to workshop organizers at eleanor.eckel@briwildlife.org.

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Code of Conduct

All participants are expected to behave in a professional and appropriate manner in all conference venues and conference social events. Please see the Doing Business with NYSERDA webpage for NYSERDA’s policies, including its harassment and discrimination policy. This policy applies to all conference participants. 

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​Inappropriate behavior during conference activities includes the following: 

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form. 

• Verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, or support staff member. 

• Disruption of presentations. 

• Inclusion of promotional materials in presentations, postings, and messages. 

• Copying presentations, Q&A, verbal or written discussions, or chat room activity that takes place in the virtual space. This includes taking screenshots, making audio or visual recordings, and distributing said copies or recordings (via social media or any other means). Please be respectful of speakers and do not take or distribute pictures of or copy presentation materials without explicit permission from the speaker. 

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Communication Guidelines
The convening parties of the workshop maintain responsibility for all press communications about the project. This event is a workshop and is not intended for the media. We respectfully request that participants contact the workshop planning team regarding the distribution of information related to the project.

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Data Privacy
The virtual portion of the 2022 Workshop will occur within the event platform Cvent. The Cvent privacy policy is available here. If you choose to participate in the State of the Science Workshop you are also consenting to the following: Representatives of the State of the Science Workshop will be recording video sessions for attendees to view on the Cvent attendee hub for a period of time after the event. Any Q&A and Session Chats will be saved for the same amount of time. Video recordings of sessions will be made public following the event. The State of the Science Workshop and NYSERDA may use the email you provided to contact you about future State of the Science events and proceedings, which you can opt-out of at any time.

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Workshop Organizers

 

State of the Science Workshops are hosted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on behalf of the Offshore Wind Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG). This year's organizers include:

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Scientific Planning Committee: 

Kate Williams, Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI; Committee Chair); Scott Ambrosia, Vineyard Wind; Bonnie Brady, Long Island Commercial Fishing Association; Shilo Felton, National Audubon Society; Liz Gowell, Orsted; Juliet Lamb, TNC; Carl LoBue, TNC; Pamela Loring, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Liz Marsjanik, Vineyard Wind; Kate McClellan Press, NYSERDA; Howard Rosenbaum, Wildlife Conservation Society

Organizing Committee:

Kate McClellan Press, NYSERDA (Committee Chair); Eleanor Eckel, BRI; Julia Gulka, BRI; Ed Jenkins, BRI; Kate Williams, BRI

 

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